Author: ALXnow.com

This is the staff byline for ALXnow, used by editors and other full-time staff. Launched in October 2019, ALXnow is the place for the latest news, views and things to do around Alexandria, Virginia.

News

Morning Notes for February 20, 2026

By ALXnow.com
Birds at Waterfront Park (Staff photo by Jay Westcott)

On This Day in Alexandria History — “On February 20, 1755 General Edward Braddock arrived at Hampton, Virginia to command British forces against New France in the American colonies. Less than two months later, on April 15 he met with five colonial governors at the Congress of Alexandria, held at the home of John Carlyle. Braddock had hoped to raise funding from the colonies to finance the French and Indian War, but was rebuffed in his efforts by the governors, who demanded that the United Kingdom honor its past promises of financial support. The meeting was one of the first instances of tension over taxation between the Americans colonies and Britain.” [Historic Alexandria]

Firehouse Primary Tomorrow, Online Voting Available — “The Alexandria Democratic Committee will hold an unassembled caucus, also known as a firehouse primary, [for Alexandria City Council] on Saturday, February 21, 2026, from 8:30 AM to 7:00 PM.” Voting will be available at Charles E. Beatley, Jr. Central Library, Leonard “Chick” Armstrong Recreation Center or online, for voters who register by 5 p.m. today (Friday). [Alexandria Democratic Committee]

Go to Morning Notes for February 20, 2026 Read more

ALXnow Daily Debrief for Feb 19, 2026

By ALXnow.com

Good Thursday evening, Alexandria. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.

🕗 News recap

The following articles were published earlier today — Feb 19, 2026.

Here are today’s most-read articles:

  1. Carlyle restaurant ‘Whiskey & Oyster’ plans to close permanently at the end of the month (1555 views)
  2. No injuries reported after overnight fire and evacuation at Landmark high-rise (760 views)
  3. Grand reopening weekend will bring tastings to ‘The World Crafted on King’ in Old Town (603 views)
  4. New wellness studio plans spring opening in Braddock neighborhood (408 views)
  5. Pedestrian safety project at two Alexandria schools slated to receive $2M in federal funds (382 views)

📅 Upcoming events

Here is what’s going on Friday in Alexandria, from our event calendar.

🌦️ Friday’s forecast

Expect rain mainly before 10am, accompanied by areas of fog lasting until noon, with the day’s high temperature reaching around 57°F. The east wind, blowing at 5-8 mph, will shift to southwest in the afternoon; there is a 90% chance of precipitation, potentially amounting to less than a tenth of an inch of new rain. As for Friday night, skies will be mostly clear and the low temperature will be around 40°F, with a west wind of 6-8 mph. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Quote of the Day

“Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.”
– Theodore Roosevelt

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

Thanks for reading!

News

Morning Notes for February 19, 2026

By ALXnow.com
Looking south from Route 1 in Potomac Yard (Staff photo by Jay Westcott)

On This Day in Alexandria History — “On February 19, 1885, a fatal train crash occurred at Four Mile Station when two trains collided near the Alexandria canal. Virginia Midland passenger train traveling north and a southbound Baltimore & Potomac train crashed around 10 p.m. and resulted in the deaths of at least seven people.” [Historic Alexandria]

Lawmakers Push For Potomac Spill Plan, Transparency — “Congressional lawmakers from Maryland and Virginia are pushing for a “rigorous” environmental remediation plan, public briefings and continued bacteria monitoring in the wake of last month’s spill of millions of gallons of sewage into the Potomac River. The lawmakers’ letter to DC Water, the owner of the broken pipe, comes amid continued sparring between President Donald Trump (R) and Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) about who’s responsible for the devastating sewage leak.” [Virginia Mercury]

Go to Morning Notes for February 19, 2026 Read more

ALXnow Daily Debrief for Feb 18, 2026

By ALXnow.com

Good Wednesday evening, Alexandria. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.

🕗 News recap

The following articles were published earlier today — Feb 18, 2026.

Here are today’s most-read articles:

  1. City Council candidates spar in second debate before Democratic firehouse primary (693 views)
  2. Daniel O’Connell’s celebrating 20th anniversary in Old Town this month (527 views)
  3. Water main relocation planned on Commonwealth Avenue ahead of flood mitigation work (400 views)

📅 Upcoming events

Here is what’s going on Thursday in Alexandria, from our event calendar.

🌧️ Thursday’s forecast

Expect rain to begin mainly after 3pm with foggy areas clearing by 9am and a high near 48°F. An east wind of 5 to 10mph accompanies an 80% chance of precipitation, with potential rainfall between a tenth and a quarter of an inch. Thursday night continues with rain and patchy fog both before midnight and after 1am, with a low around 42°F, east wind 6 to 9mph, and a 100% chance of precipitation. New rainfall may reach a quarter to half an inch. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Quote of the Day

“Success is walking from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.”
– Winston Churchill

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

Thanks for reading!

News

Morning Notes for February 18, 2026

By ALXnow.com
Views by the Potomac River (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Senate Passes Bill Restricting Local ICE Activity — “The Virginia Senate on Tuesday passed a bill that would place hefty guardrails on any proposed 287(g) agreements allowing local law enforcement to carry out federal immigration functions … ‘I’m seeking to give some comfort to thousands of men, women and children in the Commonwealth who are living in fear that federal agents might send them or their family members to a country they fled, or a country they have never been to,’ said Democratic state Sen. Saddam Azlan Salim, who put forward the bill.” [ARLnow]

Ramadan Mubarak — “Muslims worldwide will begin daily fasting from dawn to sunset as Ramadan starts, marking a period of worship, reflection and charity. The holy month, the ninth in the Islamic lunar calendar, brings families together for meals to break the fast.” [AP]

Go to Morning Notes for February 18, 2026 Read more

ALXnow Daily Debrief for Feb 17, 2026

By ALXnow.com

Good Tuesday evening, Alexandria. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.

🕗 News recap

The following articles were published earlier today — Feb 17, 2026.

Here are today’s most-read articles:

  1. Alexandria Health Department advises of measles case at more N. Va. locations (766 views)
  2. Democratic City Council candidates lay out differences in first forum in Del Ray (722 views)
  3. Former Councilman Frank Fannon runs as independent in City Council special election (688 views)
  4. PHOTOS: The George Washington Birthday Parade returns to Old Town (473 views)
  5. Morning Notes for February 17, 2026 (371 views)

📅 Upcoming events

Here is what’s going on Wednesday in Alexandria, from our event calendar.

  • No events today. Have one to promote? Submit it to the calendar.

🌥️ Wednesday’s forecast

There is a slight chance of rain after 2pm, with fog expected before 9am, followed by mostly cloudy conditions and a high temperature near 58°F. Southwest winds will be 5 to 10 mph, with gusts of up to 20 mph, and a 20% chance of precipitation. For Wednesday night, the clouds will gradually clear, leading to a low temperature around 43°F. Southwest winds initially at 5 to 8 mph will turn calm after midnight. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Quote of the Day

“If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door.”
– Milton Berle

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

Thanks for reading!

News

Morning Notes for February 17, 2026

By ALXnow.com
100 block of King Street (staff photo by James Cullum)

On This Day in Alexandria History — “On February 17, 1859, the Mansion House Hotel, built in 1848 by local furniture manufacturer, James Green, and well-known as one of the most elegant hostelries on the Eastern seaboard, was reopened after a complete refurbishment. The Green’s lived in the home of John Carlyle, one of the town’s founders, and built the hotel across the front yard.” [Historic Alexandria]

Lunar New Year in ALX — “Lunar New Year officially begins on Tuesday, Feb. 17, but some festivities are happening before then. The holiday is celebrated in Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean and numerous other Asian cultures, marking the start of the 15-day Spring Festival. Here’s a look at some upcoming Lunar New Year events around Alexandria.” [ALXnow]

Go to Morning Notes for February 17, 2026 Read more

ALXnow Daily Debrief for Feb 13, 2026

By ALXnow.com

Good Friday evening, Alexandria. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.

🕗 News recap

The following articles were published earlier today — Feb 13, 2026.

Here are today’s most-read articles:

  1. New fitness boutique opens next month in Alexandria’s Carlyle neighborhood (535 views)
  2. Weekend Metro closures affecting Blue and Yellow Lines start tomorrow (491 views)

Since it’s Friday, we’ve also compiled a list of the most-read articles of the week, below.

  1. JUST IN: R. Kirk McPike wins special election in landslide for House of Delegates seat (15062 views)
  2. Barnes & Noble plans new Alexandria bookstore in Shoppes at Foxchase (6251 views)
  3. Measles exposures reported at Reagan National Airport and on Yellow Line train (6019 views)
  4. Whiskey from new Alexandria distillery is coming to city’s Virginia ABC stores (5791 views)
  5. Buddhist monks share message of peace in Old Town during 2,300-mile pilgrimage (3865 views)
  6. New ‘Dive Bar’ theme coming to Del Ray’s Pop-Up Bar later this month (3696 views)
  7. Old Town couple cuts ribbon on ‘Sundara Indian Restaurant & Cafe’ at Braddock Metro Center (2095 views)
  8. Alexandria City School Board member suggests adding snow days after winter storm (2014 views)

📅 Upcoming events

Here is what’s going on Saturday in Alexandria, from our event calendar.

Here are the events planned for Sunday:

☀️ Saturday’s forecast

Expect sunshine and a high near 53 degrees, along with a west wind at 5 to 8 mph. The evening will be mostly cloudy with temperatures dropping to a low around 32 degrees and calm winds. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Quote of the Day

“It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.”
– Confucius

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

We hope you have a great weekend, Alexandria!

News

Morning Notes for February 13, 2026

By ALXnow.com
Snow at the George Washington Masonic National Memorial (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

On This Day in Alexandria History — “On the morning of February 13, 1855, Alexandrians awoke to find the Potomac River frozen solid for miles up and down the river. Although all navigation ceased, townspeople that were brave enough were able to walk to the Maryland shore and back again.” [Historic Alexandria]

‘Innovation District’ Launches in Nat’l Landing — “A new ‘innovation district’ seeking to promote public-private partnerships has launched in Crystal City, Pentagon City and Potomac Yard. The National Innovation Quarter, or ‘National IQ,’ promises ‘to solve the most pressing challenges at the intersection of national competitiveness and technology,’ according to a press release.” [ARLnow]

Go to Morning Notes for February 13, 2026 Read more

ALXnow Daily Debrief for Feb 12, 2026

By ALXnow.com

Good Thursday evening, Alexandria. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.

🕗 News recap

The following articles were published earlier today — Feb 12, 2026.

Here are today’s most-read articles:

  1. George Washington Birthday Parade returns to Old Town this weekend with adapted route (817 views)
  2. City officials mull snow response improvements as ‘snowcrete’ removal continues (623 views)
  3. Morning Notes for February 12, 2026 (528 views)

📅 Upcoming events

Here is what’s going on Friday in Alexandria, from our event calendar.

☀️ Friday’s forecast

Expect sunshine and a high of 39°F accompanied by a northwest wind blowing at 7 to 10 mph, gusting up to 20 mph. For Friday night, the skies will be mostly clear, and temperatures will drop to a low of around 28°F, with a gentle southwest breeze. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Quote of the Day

“We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.”
– Albert Einstein

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

Thanks for reading!

News

Morning Notes for February 12, 2026

By ALXnow.com
Pile of 'snowcrete' in February 2026 (staff photo by James Cullum)

On This Day in Alexandria History — “Alexandria celebrates African American heritage every month of the year, but before there was a designated Black History Month, Black History Week was started in 1926 by Dr. Carter G. Woodson to commemorate the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln on February 12th, and Frederick Douglass on February 14th. In many black communities, these birthdays were already commemorated in the years between 1865 and 1926. Black History Week evolved into Black History Month in 1976.” [Historic Alexandria]

Attorney Who Prosecuted Trump Running For Congress — “J.P. Cooney — who served as a top deputy for special counsel Jack Smith’s office in two criminal prosecutions against Trump, before the president fired him in January 2025 — announced his candidacy Wednesday.” [ARLnow]

Go to Morning Notes for February 12, 2026 Read more
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